Yes, several do wear them for these rides. You find that while no-one wears a helmet for going to the shops here, virtually everyone riding an upright racing bike in replica team strip does wear a (matching) helmet.

It's a cultural thing. Helmets are not political here because no-one at all is trying to force anyone to wear one.

From what I can make out they're more of a "serious cyclist" uniform than a protective measure. Perhaps one of the huneliggers themselves may be able to explain this better for a foreign audience...

On this ride, speeds were low enough that wind resistance wasn't really an issue (unlike at the two links at the end of the article).

Are they common ? That's difficult to say. They're much more common than anywhere else, but rather less common than traditional town bikes.

They are incredibly cool. If I wasn't skint, I'd buy one. However given the length of the waiting list it might take a while to turn up...

Hello David...That would indeed be a fun headline. I've long known the Dutch don't wear helmets, which was why I was suprised that someone riding a three-wheeled bike would wear one.They are more a 'serious cyclist' thing here as well- although I've had some 'serious cyclists' try and bully me into wearing one

While I was on a ride along the banks of the Maas recently one of those came past me at the speed of light! Boy, do they go! Also, they make a strange rumbling noise as they close in on you - the bodywork acting as a sounding box, amplifying the tyre noise, I guess. Very eerie if you're not expecting it, as I wasn't.

I'm one of the featured Huneliggers. Why do some of us wear helmets.... well, apart from the safety that a helmet may or may not give (and given the controversy, I really don't want to go into that any deeper) in a velomobile the head is the only bodypart exposed to the weather. In the summer it's cooler and in the winter, combined with a thin helmet cap or cover, it's warmer. When it rains the helmet keeps my head dry and I combine it with a cap to keep raindrops as much as possible away from my glasses. When the sun shines the same cap keeps my eyes in the shade, works better than sun glasses. Of course there are other head covering garments that can do the same but the helmet is one of the few that doesn't fly off when I'm doing 50km/h. Last but not least, a helmet is a requirement for the races of the NVHPV. My helmet is the smallest, toughest and lightest that I could find. Most helmets are too big and heavy.But please do not concentrate on the helmet, you can ride with the Huneliggers every sunday, with or without it.@Adrienne, come to the "Ligfietsgarage Groningen" if you want to try one ( I work there) Enough luggage capacity for fully loaded touring, these are very practical bikes.

Bob, the recumbent trikes in the video and photos are called velomobiles. There are two types ridden by members of the huneliggers (the name of the local recumbent cycling group), the Quest and the Mango.

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